This suave cocktail bar is consistently recognised in global polls, and for good reason. There's no drink the staff here can't make to perfection.

Locals get misty-eyed when you mention the Napier, such is the respect for this backstreet corner pub. The menu is pure comfort, and the interior is full of pressed metal and Australiana kitsch. It’s the kind of local every suburb needs.

This three-level pub – which has stood for more than 150 years – is one of Melbourne’s best. It’s an ideal spot for a feed or knock-off pint, whether you’re in the front bar, upstairs in the dining room, or soaking rays on the rooftop.

Like drinking at your cool grandma’s house.

A whisky bar with 300-plus rare bottles, including one-off releases never to be made again.

This jazzy Fitzroy 30-seater blends Japanese izakaya, craft sake bar and record store.

A comfortable and understated local pub with live music.

A local’s bar for locals and visitors alike.

This old-school bar is all about rum and champagne. Find rum from around the globe and a Daiquiri-centred cocktail list. Plus, snacks like bread, tinned fish and cheeses with Wagyu bresaola and mortadella.

Naked In The Sky is where you bring friends from out of town. Sure, there’s always a crowd, not to mention the added uncertainty of actually getting a seat. But this place has some truly gobsmacking panoramas of the city that are absolutely worth showing off. The excellent food and drinks are just a bonus.

An unpretentious spot for great beer, live music and authentic Philly cheesesteaks.

This taqueria is a simple kind of place, with just two beers on tap and tunes spinning away on the turntables behind the bar. Local hospitality workers like to stick their heads in for a quick chat and a taco before their shift. It’s open until late on weekends, so many return for a wind-down drink after work too.

A live music staple in the centre of Fitzroy.

Perched high above Hotel Fitzroy, this timber-clad bar is the perfect place to kick off an evening on Brunswick Street. The cocktail list is classic, the wines are affordable and Ichi Ni Nana downstairs will ferry sushi and Japanese pub-style snacks to your table.

Fitzroy’s oldest pub is for the old guard and the new. You’ll find footy fans gathered around the TVs on game days. When the vibe’s right, it’s like you’ve got 100 mates, 16 beer taps and better-than-usual food in your lounge room.

Industry experts from Rockwell and Sons and Attica joined forces for this stylish drinking den. The best way to sample the changing dishes is through the set menu (don’t skip the sourdough flatbread). Plus, an extensive wine list offers everything from buzzy pét-nats to classic chardonnays.

While a new wave of revamped pubs adopts the retro look, this old boozer has no need. Its old paintings, retro couches and warm red walls fit the bill. But it’s the pool table and cheesy parmas that locals return for.

Ascend three flights of stairs to reach this convivial loft, where arched windows offer views of Collingwood. The bar menu offers refined snacks, while the slightly quieter restaurant serves heartier, modern Australian dishes of market fish, oysters and meaty share plates.

The best-named pub in town is focused squarely on two of Fitzroy’s biggest obsessions: live music and beer. There’s no kitchen or TV here, making it a no-frills hangout with good local tunes, lively conversation and many games of pool.

A good old late night bar sporting character in spades.

Indie beer is king at this unpretentious bar and bottle shop. Visit for hazy and wild brews, plus decadent French dip sangas by permanent pop-up, Jolly Good Sandwiches.

An outdoor drinking spot in Fitzroy that’s more relaxed, and smaller, than its older sibling.

If Johnny Cash and Nick Cave had a drink together in a Melbourne bar, it would probably be here. The menu maintains a simplicity ethos (including pizzas, parmas and burgers) alongside a succinct list of decent wines and beers.

This drink-in bottle shop pours wild ales, natural wines and sour Negronis. Come for beer-infused cocktails, Belgian lambics and plenty of snacks.

Find classic Japanese snacks and party-friendly cocktails at this sprawling izakaya. Across two levels, go for karaage and gyoza alongside natural wines, cocktails made with Japanese whisky and Stomping Ground rice lager on tap.

The laidback younger sibling to Alta, a Nigella-approved wine bar. Come for a glass or two with snacks (including a full section of Italian bread) and bigger bites like pork-rib meatballs. Or choose a bottle to have here or take home.